Switch



E. H. JACOBS May 7, 1929.

SWITCH Filed Deo. 4

Patented May 7, 1929.`

UNITED STATES 1,711,501 PATENT OFFICE.

ERNEST H'. JACOBS, 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO ELECTRICALENGINEERS EQUIPMENT COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

SWITCH.

Applicationlled December 4, 1925. Serial No. 73,112.v

This invention relates to improvements in electric switches. i

More particularly, the present invention is a continuation in part of myco-p/nding application Serial No. 381,234, iled ay 14,

1920 and its object is the provision of a generally improved, simplifiedand inexpensive guide means for guiding the blade means into cooperationwith the switch/contact and an improved mounting and correlation betweenthe guide means and the means for pressing the blade means against theswitch contact and for tensioning or limiting the separation of. theblade means.

To acquaint those skilled in the art with the manner of constructing andpracticing the present invention, Ishall now describe the same inconnection with the accompanying drawings, in which,

igure 1 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the contact terminaland cooperating blade means of the switch showing an embodiment of thepresent invention in connection therewith;

Figure 2 is a detail section through the means for guiding and pressingthe blade means upon the switch contact taken on the line 2 2 of Figure1;

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 1, showing a different protectivehood arrangementl for the Contact terminal and blade, means and anotherform of blade pressing *l generally T-formation, having apertured legsspring, and

. Figures 4 and 5 are end and side views respectively of' the springmeans shown in Figure 3.

The switch shown has a contact terminal 5 and cooperating'blade means6movable into and out of engagement therewith.

The contact terminal 5 is mounted by means of its terminal base 7 upon abracket 8 which may be supported upon the outer end of a suitablesupporting insulator or otherwise as desired. The base 7 has aprojecting portion to which is secured by'bolt- 9 a suitable terminalsocket member 10. The conductor or circuit means 12 for the terminal 5is suitably secured in the socket member 10 through which and theterminal base the terminal and conductor means are electricallyconnected. The bolt 9 may project through the terminal base 7 andrigidly secure thereto upon the opposite side ,a housing or hood member15. Mounted on the underside of the top of the 55 hood member 15 andprojecting from the outer edges thereof is a suitable electrode arclnghorn 16.

Ihe movable part or blade means of the sw1tch comprises a pair offloating blades 18, 18 whlch may be formed ot' flat bars of metal andmay .also be trussed or as more fully disclosed 1n the application ofwhich this is a continuation in part. At one end the blade members 18,18 may be pivotally mounted upon the opposite sides of a pivot contact19 by a bolt and their free or contact ends are adapted to be swung intoand out of engagement with the contacts 5.

The blades 18 are yieldingly held against the sides of the pivot contact19 by spring washers 66 which may be provided on the bolt 65 and heldagainst the outer sides of the blades 18 by the head of the bolt at oneend and the nut on the bolt at the opposite end.

The free or' outerends of the blade members 18, 18 are yieldingly heldagainst the opposite sides of the contact member 5 byspring washers 20which may be disposed substantially centrally of the contact areasbetween the blades 18, 18 and the sides of the contact 5. Each washer 20is held in place by .a yoke or clamping member 22 between which andtheadjacent blade member it is interposed and the pressure margins of the`washers 20 are made yieldable by radial cuts The yokes or clampingmembers 22 are of of each substantially centrally between the oppositeends of the legs 24. Each of the clamping members 22 has'an inwardlyproj ecting aligning stud 26 pressed or otherwise, formed thereon, thesestuds enga-ging in recesses 27 provided substantially axially in thespring washers 20. The Spring washers 20 are thereby held properlypositioned against the blades and against accidental displacement. Theclamping members 22 are mounted upon bolts 28 which pass through theblade members 18, 18 on opposite sides of the terminal lug 5, the Shanksof the bolts` 28 being spaced suliiciently to perl'it the free end ofthe contact 5to extend and be withdrawn from between them in opening andclosing the switch. The clamping members 22 and the bolts 28 togetherform a frame between which the spring washers 2,0 force the blades 18,18 towards each other and into firm, uniform and maximum contact withthe opposite sides of the contact terminal 5 when the switch is closed.The bolts 28 constitute the tension means for the frame thus formed andlimit the separation or spread of the blade members. The blades 18, .18are yieldingly drawn together through the spring washers 20 and afloating action is provided between the blades which allows the bladesto yield and properly accommodate themselves to the opposite sides ofthe contact terminal.

The outer ends of the jaws 25 are flared out at 32 to provide arelatively wide or large opening so that even with considerabledisalignment between the terminal contact or tongue 5 and the contactreceiving space between the blade members 18, 18, the flared ends of theaws 25 will engage over the contact 5 in the closing movement oftheblade members. In the closing movement of the blade members 18, 18 intocooperation or engagement with the contact 5, the guide jaws 25 moveover the contact 5 ahead of the blade members and guide'the blademembers roperly over the contact. Between the flare outer ends of theguide jaws 25 and the adjacent edges of the blade members 18, 18, thejaws 25 are preferably curved in or contracted at 35 so that as thecontact 5 is received between the flared ends of the jaws, continuedclosing movement of the blade members will guide them properly over thecontact 5. Thus, the flared ends 32 will receive the switch contactovera range of disalignment and the restricted portion will guide thecontact properly between the blades.

members 22 and the guide jaws 25 as integral units not only simplifiesand. decreases the cost of manufacture and assemblying, but

being in one piece or at least carried one by the other or relativelyrigid with respect to each other, when either jaw operates to overcomeits disalignment, the corresponding yoke or clamping member will tend torelieve the tension or pressure on that side of the blade to facilitatebringing of the blade means into proper engagement with the conf tact.Then, as soon as the blade eans moves over the contact, the tension onthe blade means will be equalized to uniformly press both blade membersinto firm contact with the opposite sides of the terminal overtheoentire contact area.

The spring washers and the yoke means provide maximum contact betweenthe floating blades 18 and the contact 5 and the blades are held firmlyand uniformly against the opposite sides of the contact 5. The uniform,spring pressure exerted over substantially the entire contact area'isadjustable by means of the bolts 28. This spring pressure is distributedsubstantially uniformly over the contact surfaces because it is appliedsub- 'means on the outer sides of the blade members is provided.- Theyoke members 22 clamp the spring` washers 20 upon the blade members andby the simple expedient of the lateral extensions `or tongues 25 formguide means for guiding the blades upon theswitch contact. The mountingof the guide jaws on the tension bolts 28 provides a balanced mountingfor the guide jaws on opposite sides of the switch contact The innercorners ofthe blade edges presented to the Contact 5, at least over thecontact area, may be removed or rounded at 36 and the outer corners ofthe Contact 5 may be removed at, 38 to assure proper movement of vtheguided blades over the contact member.

In the embodiment of Figure 1, the blade means is covered by 'a hood 40pivoted at 42 thereon. lThe hood 40 is urged to covering position byaspring 43 and it carries on arcing horn .4:4 cooperable with the horn16, the `blade means being adapted to move toward uncovered positionfrom the hood 40 as the horns 44 and 16 engage and the blade means movesinto the hood 15.

In tho embodiment of Figuro e, tho hood 50 moves out of coveringposition and the hood 52 is fixed relative the blade means 18 j andcovers the contact ends of the blades 18 Thel formation of the clampingor yoke and the uncovered portion of the contacts 5 when the switch isclosed.

The spring means between the members 22 and the 'blade members 18" areshown in the embodiment of Figure 3 in the form of coiled springs 7 5instead of in the form of radially slotted spring washers, as in thepreceding embodiment.

The springs 7 5 are preferably of tapering or conical formation withtheir reduced ends formed at 7 6 for centering or aligning cooperationwith the aligning means on the members 22. The tapering formation ofthese coiled springs centers them and through their larger ends auniform spring pressure is exerted over substantially the entire contactareas of the blades, to press the blades firmly and uniformly againstthe opposite sides of the contact. The aligning means engaging ends 76of the springs 7 5 may be turned back to form relatively long loopedportions as shown for strengthening these ends and assuring propercooperation with the aligning means.

I do not intend to lbe limited to the precise details shown ordescribed.

I claim A 1. In combination, a contact member, a pair of floatingblades, movable into and out 0f engagement therewith, tension means forsaid blades, said tension means including a pair of tension boltspassing through said blades, and guide means carried by said tensionmeans and forming a part thereof for lguiding said blades intoengagement with said contact member.

2. In combination, a contactmember, a switch member movable into and outof engagement therewith, tension means for pressing said movable switchmember into contact with said contact member, and means carried by saidtension means and movable with the movable switch member for `guidingsaid switch member into engagement with said contact member.

3. In combination, a contact member, a switch member movable into andoutof cooperation with said Contact member, and guide means carried by themovable switch member for guiding said member into cooperation with saidcontact member, said guide means extending ahead of said switch memberin the direction of closing movement thereof.

4. In combination, floating blades, tension bolts passing through saidblades and guide means carried by said bolts.

5. In combination, a pair of floating switch blades, a Contactcooperable therewith, and

- guide means carried by the blades and mounted equally on-oppositesides of the contact receiving portion thereof for guiding the bladesinto engagement with the contact.

6. In combination, a contact member, Yal

switch member movable into and out of cooperation with said contactmember and guide means for guiding said switch member into cooperationwith said contact member, said guide means moving into cooperation withthe contact member ahead of .the movable switch member and the mountingof said guide means being positioned along the edge of the contact when`the switch is closed.

7. In combination, a contact member, floating blades cooperabletherewith, Vand means having floating mounting for guiding said bladesinto cooperation with said Contact member.

8. In a switch, a pair of blades adapted to embrace a Contact betweenthem, a bolt passing through said blades on each side of said contact,yoke members having their ends engaged by said bolts, means centrally ofsaid yoke members for pressing the blades upon the contact and means onsaid yokes for guiding the blades into cooperation with the contact.

9'; In a switch, a pair of blades adapted to embrace a contact betweenthem, Imeans for pressing the blades upon the Contact, said meanscomprising yoke means, and means carried by said yoke `means for guidingthe- .blades into cooperation with the contact.

10. In combination, a pair of blades adapted to' embrace a contactbetween them, a bolt passing through the blades on each side of saidcontact, yokes having their ends engaged by said bolts for pressing theblades against the contact, said'yokes having inwardly projecting studswith spring washers held by said studs against the blades within thearea of engagement of the blades with the' contact, and means on saidyokes for guiding the blades into cooperation with the contact.

11. In combination, a pair of terminal contacts, one forming a pivotcontact and the other forming a free contact, a pair of fioating bladespivoted on said pivot contact, the free ends of said blades beingadapted to engage the free contact, and spring pressing the blades flatagainst the free contact, Said spring means comprising a spring washerlying between said blade and a clip member, said clip member having aprojecting lug for guiding the blades upon said free Contact.

12. A switch blade yoke and guide comprising a pair of apertured legsextending longitudinally of the blade, and a guide leg extendinglaterally therefrom between said riirst legs.

13. In combination, a contact member, a

switch memberinovable into and out of engagement therewith, a guidesupport positioned proximate, said contact member in the closed positionof said switch member, and

guide members mounted upon said Vsupport l for movement toward and awayfrom each other to take up wear and for guiding said switch mem-ber intoengagement with said contact member.

14. In combination, a contact member, a pair of blades mounted formovement toward and away from each other to take up wear and movableinto and out of contact with said contact member, and means other thansaid blades for guiding said blades in their closing movement.

15. In combination, a contact member, a pair of blades mounted formovement toward and away from each other to take up wear and movableinto and out of contact with said Contact member, and means other thansaid blades for guiding said floating blades in their closing movement,said guide means being positioned adjacent said contact member in theclosed position of said blades.

16. In combination, a contact member, a pair of blade members mountedfor movement toward and away from each other to take up wear and movableinto and out of engagement with said contact member, tension means forsaid blades, said tension means including a pair of tension boltspassing through said blades, and guide means carried by said tensionmeans and forming a part thereof for guiding said blades into engagementwith said contact member.

17. In combination, a pair of blade members .mounted for movement towardand away rom'each other to take up wear, a contact oooperable therewithand guide means 5 carried by the blade members and mounted equally onopposite sides of the Contact reoeiving portions thereof for guiding theblades into engagement with the Contact..

18. Incombination, a Contact member, a

10 pair of blade members mounted for movement toward andaway from eachother to take up wear and cooperable with said oontaot member, and meansComprising a pair of guide members mounted for movement toward and awayfrom each other for guiding said blade members into Cooperation withsaid Contact member.

In-witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 1st day of Dec.,1925.

ERNEST H. JACOBS.

